Typewriting machine



April 2, 1941* J. L. CARPENTER Y 2,239,643

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1939 BY {WM ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 22, 1941 TYPEWRITING MACHINE John L. Carpenter, Sacramento, Galifi, assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 10, 1939, Serial No. 303,739

Claims. Cl

This invention relates to typewriting machines adapted especially for typing on cards such as licenses, index or file cards, usually bearing a blank printed form for entry of data on various typing lines thereon.

Typewriting machines adapted for writing on cards of the general character indicated are usually equipped with a card-holding device on the platen, by which insertion of the card into a machine is facilitated, and by which the bottom edge of the card is accurately positioned on the platen so that each successive card will assume the same position in relation toplaten-rotationlimiting means provided for the purpose of determining both the card-inserting and the firstline-typing positions of the platen. The firstline-typing position determines the position of the other typing lines on the form in that, during typing, the card is advanced by the usual linespace mechanism. Such cards, although being substantially uniform in size and corresponding as to the printed formthereon, may have variations which occur in the printing of different batches of cards, to the effect that the printed form or the typing lines thereof on a new batch of cards may be diiferently located from the bottom edge of the card and therefore be out of registry with the actual typing line positions as determined by the rotation-limiting means, and the typing on the form would therefore be either above or below the actual form lines.

It is one of the objects of this invention to obviate the foregoing difficulties, arising from the inaccurate location of the printed form or typing lines on the cards, and to accordingly provide simple and easily manipulatable means by which the relation of the card positioning device on the platen, and the platen rotation-limiting means may be rapidly varied to accommodate cards of different batches.

A further object of this invention is to provide a typewriting machine of this general character which, notwithstanding its adaptability, especially for the typing of printed form cards, may be easily converted for use as a conventional typewriter.

Another object is to provide improved platen rotation-control mechanism for determining both the card-inserting andfirst-line-typing positions of the platen so that accurate adjustment to the first-line-writing position may be rapidly effected.

A still further object is to provide a cardholder-equipped typewriting machine having platen-rotation-limiting means that may be Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the platen and carriage of a typewriter embodying the invention, certain of the mechanism units being shown separated to facilitate illustration.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view partly in section, of the mechanism embodying the invention, and

Figures 3 and 4 are front elevational and transverse sectional views respectively of a modified form of certain elements of the mechanism; Figure 4 being taken on a line 4'-4 of Figure 3.

In the physical embodiment of the invention illustrated, only such portions of the conventional typewriter as closely relate to the invention are shown, which include the usual platen 6 rotatably mounted by a shaft 1 on end members 8 and 9 of a platen carriage; and the usual line-space mechanism of which a ratchet wheel I0 is shown, a spring detent I0 cooperating with the ratchet wheel to accurately position the platen 6 at each typing line. The machine may further include a fractional line space clutch I l controlledby the shifting of a clutch knob [2 to release the platen from the line space detent for irregular linespace rotation of the platen by manually rotating a platen knob 3 with the clutch ll released, all in the well-known manner.

To facilitate insertion of a form card into the machine and to accurately locate the card on the platen 6, a card-holding device I4 is provided which may be substantially similar to that shown in the patent to Lindburg No. 1,600,235; this type of card holder being preferred in that same is readily removable from the platen to condition the typewriter for conventional use. The card holder 14 comprises an elongate bar I5 disposed longitudinallyon the platen and conforming to the periphery thereof, having at each end of the bar a slotted plate I6 straddling the platen hubs and engaging fiat faces thereof to retain the card holder non-rotatably on the platen, spring pressed hook latches I! removably securing the card holder in position. The card-holding device [4, in the present invention, constitutes card positioning means and serves to accurately position a card l8 on the platen by receiving the lower portion of the card in an elongate recess IQ in the bar l5 presenting a shoulder 26 against which the bottom edge of the card engages.

A stop plate 22 is carried on the platen shaft E, preferably at the end portion thereof opposite the fractional line-space clutch II. The stop plate 22 has a pin 23 thereon to which one end of a torsion spring 24 is secured, the other end of said spring being anchored on a stop pin 25 supported onthe carriage end member 9 by a bracket 2&3. The spring 24 functions to restore the stop plate 22 to first-line-typing position, and therefore tends to rotate the stop plate about the axis of the platen 6, in the direction of the arrow shown. Normally the stop plate 22 is clutched to the shaft to rotate with the platen in fixed angular relation to the shoulder 26 of the card holder and may be unclutched therefrom to vary this angular relation, by operation of a suitable clutch, such as indicated at 27. The clutch 21 is preferably of the type usually known as friction clutches, in order that the angular position of the stop plate in relation to the card holder shoulder 29 may be varied in any fraction of a line space.

In the organization of the clutch 21 as illustrated, a clutch dum 28 constitutes the driven element and has a hub 29 mounted to rotate about the axis of the platen, on which hub the stop plate 22 is secured. A radial plate 39 arranged within the clutch drum 28 constitutes the driving element of the clutch 27 and has a hub 3i fixed to the platen shaft 1, on which hub the sleeve forming the hub 29 of the clutch drum is journaled. The driving element or plate 38 and the driven element or drum 28 are clutched or unclutched by means of clutch shoes 32 which are expansible or contractible to grip! or release the drum 28 and are pivotally held at corresponding ends to the radial plate 3:) by a block 33. ated to grip or release the drum 28 by a sliding cone 34 slida-ble on the shaft 1 and cooperating with a pair of clutch arms 35, each of which are flexibly connected to one of the shoes 32 by rollers 35, and the arms 35 are fulcrumed on a pin The clutch cone 34 is manually operable from a clutch knob 3-8 through slide rods 39 passing through a platen knob 4! fixed to the shaft 1.

The operation of the invention in the feed ing and typing of form cards will now be described, referring particularly to Figure l wherein the card 18 is shown, having a typical printed form thereon including blank lines upon which certain data is to be typed. To facilitate inserting the card l8 into the machine, it is desirable to have the card holder M in position at the front of the platen 6 so that the card may be easily placed with its bottom edge inserted into the recess l9 and against the shoulder 2%]. In the normal use of the machine both the fractional line-space clutch H and the stopadjustment clutch 21 are in clutching condition, so that the platen E is detented at each line of typing and, when the platen is rotated in the line-spacing direction, the card holder I4 is stopped at card-inserting position at the front of the platen, as illustrated in Figure 1, by engagement of an edge 22 of the stop plate with the stop pin 25. To begin typing, the platen is rotated from card-inserting position in an appropriate direction until an edge 22* of the stop plate engages the stop pin 25, at which position the first typing line 40' on the card will be in registry with the printing line X of the The clutch shoes 32 are opermachine; assuming that the angular position of the stop plate 22, relative to the shoulder 20 of the card holder 14 has previously been properly adjusted. The distance which the card 18 is moved from card-inserting to first-line-typing position is represented by the dimension Y, which is the actual distance of the first typing line i0 from the printing line X of the machine. The distance Z which represents the extent of rotation of the plate-n is equivalent to the distance Y. The angle Z is therefore the complement of the angle between the stop edges 22a and 22', including the stop pin 25. After typing the required data on the first typing line 40, each succeeding line is brought to typing position by operation of the usual line-space mechanism, it being noted that the lines on the form card are spaced to agree with the regular line spacing of the machine. When the typing of the card is completed, the platen is further rotated in line-spacing direction until same is stopped at the card-inserting position, as previously described. The typing of all the cards having the printed form correspondingly located on each card, is carried out in the same manner.

To compensate for the condition wherein the printed form on the card l8 isdifferently located from those previously typed, as in starting a new batch of cards, the machine is set as follows: With the card 18 inserted into the card holder both clutches H and 21 are released and the platen is rotated to bring the first line 40 of the card to exact typing position. With the clutch H released the platen 6 may be rotated independently of the usual line space detent to bring the first line 40 to the exact typing position. It is to be noted that consequent to the release of clutch 21, the stop plate 22 has been unclutched from the shaft and same is therefore made free to rotate about the platen axis in the direction of the arrow, under influence of the restoring spring 2 until same engages the stop pin 25, which is the position of the stop plate when determining the first-line-typing position. With the card at exact first-linetyping position, and with the stop plate 22 held against the stop pin 25 by the spring 24, the clutch 27 is set to fix the angular position of the stop plate 22. The clutch l I is also set to fix the relation of the stop plate with the linespace detent which is then effective to determine the succeeding line-typing positions. The machine is thus conditioned for typing all of the corresponding cards of that batch, and may so remain until a change in the location of the printed form on a new batch requires another adjustment. While the adjustment of the stop plate 22, as just described to register the first typing line 40 exactly with the printing position of the machine, will also affect determination of the card-inserting position, this. slight variation, being only the fractional line space, is immaterial.

It will be seen that the association of the spring 24 with the stop plate 22 materially assists in making the adjustment of the stop plate to firstline-typing position, in that the stop plate. is automatically brought to the position at which same determines the first-line-typing position, incident to the release of the adjustment clutch 21, and is held at this position by the spring while rotating the platen to the exact first-linetyping position, to be locked there as soon as clutch 21 is set. a

It will also be seen that the organization of" the fractional line-space clutch H to effect release of the platen line-space 'detent, with the stop adjustment clutch 21, controlling the angular position of the stop plate 22, provides a mechanism that appreciably reduces the time required to type a series of form cards, and a mechanism which substantially facilitates the adjustment to the exact line-typing position of the card.

The organization including both the fractional line-space clutch II and the stop adjustment clutch 21 also has the salient advantage of affording means whereby the machine may be quickly conditioned for conventional use. By merely releasing the stop adjustment clutch 21, the stop plate 22 is rendered ineffective and the platen 6 may therefore be rotated to an unlimited degree as required in sheet-typing, and

the card holder 14 is removed from the platen.

In order that the machine may be adapted for typing of form cards of substantially varying form, that is, wherein the dimension Y as shown in Figure 1 varies appreciably, it is desired to have the stop plate 22 adjustable so as to correspondingly vary the ankle Z, this being accomplished by accordingly changing the angle between the stop edges 22 and 22 such as by use of the stop plate illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, representing a modified form of the stop plate 22.

In the modified form, the stop plate, indicated generally by numeral 44, comprises two sector plates 45 and 46, angularly adjustable relatively to each other to vary the angle between the stop edges 44* and 44 The plate 45 has a lock screw 41 threaded therein, which screw is disposed in an arcuate slot 48 in the plate 46. By manipulating the screw41 the effective angle of the composite stop plate 44 may be varied to any degree required, within practical limits. The modified form includes the stop adjustment clutch 21 arranged as previously described, the hub 29 of the clutch drum having the plate 45 secured thereto.

It may be here noted that either the plate 45 or the plate 46 may be secured to the drum hub 29 but that it is preferred to have the plate 45 so mounted in that such arrangement has certain advantages in adjusting the mechanism for a new card, as will be hereinafter manifest. The modified form also includes the pin 23 which is carried on the plate 45, and further includes the torsion spring 24 connected to the pin 23 at one end and having its other end anchored on the stop pin 25 which is arranged to cooperate with the stop edges 44 44 of the stop plate 44.

The preferred mode of adjustment of the machine including the modified form of stop plate will now be described. A new card is placed on the platen with its bottom edge inserted into the card holder l4 and, after releasing both clutches l I and 21, the platen is rotated to bring the new card to first-line-typing position. It is noted that in this operation the stop plate 44 is released to rotate about the platen axis by the spring 24 until the stop edge 44 engages the stop pin 25, in which manner the stop plate is automatically brought tothe position in which same defines the first-line-typing position. With the new card in exact first-line-typing position, both the clutches II and 21 are set and the platen is then rotated to bring the card holder [4 to the front of the platen, that is, at card-inserting position. The lock screw 41 may then be released and the plate 45 is manually rotated about the platen axis until its edge 44 is against the stop pin 25, after Which the screw 41 is set to fix the adjustment. The machine is now adjusted for typing all of the new cards, and may so remain until a different batch of the new cards requires a further adjustment to compensate for the discrepancy due to the differently located printed. form on the new batch. Adjustment may then be made in a manner similar to that described for the first form of the invention, by merely releasing both the clutches II and 21 with the card at approximate first-linetyping position, then rotating the platen the necessary fractional line space to bring the first typing line to exact typing position,and thereafter setting both the clutches. This last ad.- justment may be made without disturbing the relative positions of the plates 45 and 46, in that the slight change in the card-inserting position is immaterial.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the invention embodying also the modified form of stop plate affords all of the advantages of the first form and, in addition, accommodates printed form cardsof substantially varying arrangement. It will also be seen that the adjustment of the machine to accommodate any form card within practical limits may be easily and rapidly made by the operator.

Although in this application, there are specifically described, two embodiments which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that same are shown for the purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope o the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a typewriter, paper-moving means, a mov able stop, means for transmitting motion from a part of said paper-moving means to said movable stop including a clutch, means for engaging and disengaging said clutch, a counterstop engaged by said movable stop to limit movement of said part of the paper-moving means in one direction, said stop being movable away from the counterstop as said part is moved in an opposite direction with the clutch engaged, and means normally restrained by the clutch engagement but operative upon clutch disengagement to effect return'of the movable stop to a position of engagement with the counterstop.

2. In a typewriter, paper-moving means, a movable stop, means for transmitting motion from a part of said paper-moving means to said movable stop including a clutch, means for engaging and disengaging said clutch, a counterstop engaged by said movable stop to limit movement of said part of the paper-moving means in one direction, said stop being movable away from the counterstop as said part is moved in an opposite direction with the clutch engaged, and spring means normally restrained by the clutch engagement but operative upon clutch disengagement to effect return of the movable stop to a position of engagement with the counterstop.

3. In a typewriter having a rotatable platen, a movable stop, means for transmitting motion from said platen to said stop including a clutch, means for engaging and disengaging said clutch, a counterstop engaged by said movable stop to limit rotation of the platen in one direction, said stop being movable away from said counterstop by rotating the platen in an opposite direction with the clutch engaged, and means normally restrained by the clutch engagement but operative upon clutch disengagement to effect return of the movable stop to a position of engagement.

4. In a typewriter having a rotatable platen, a movable stop, means for transmitting motion from said platen to said stop including a clutch, means for engaging and disengaging said clutch, a counterstop engaged by said movable stop to limit rotation of the platen in one direction, said stop being movable away from said counterstop by rotating the platen in an opposite direction with the clutch engaged, and spring means normally restrained by the clutch engagement but operative upon clutch disengagement to efiect return of the movable stop to a position of engagement.

5. In a typewriting machine having a rotatable platen, a stop adapted to be reciprocated by corresponding rotative reciprocation of the platen, means for transmitting motion from said platen to said stop including a clutch, means for engaging and disengaging said clutch, counterstop abutments arranged to limit the reciprocations of said stop and said platen, said stop being movable in opposite directions between said counterstop abutments by rotating the platen with the clutch engaged, and means normally restrained by the clutch engagement but operative upon clutch disengagement to effect movement of said stop to a position of engagement with one of said counterstop abutments.

6. In a typewriting machine having a rotatable platen, a member adapted to be reciprocated by corresponding rotative reciprocation of the platen, said member comprising two relatively adjustable stops, means for transmitting motion from said platen to said member including a clutch, means for engaging and disengaging said clutch, individual counterstop abutments engageable by the stops of said member for limiting the reciprocations of said member and said platen, said member being movable in opposite directions to the extent permitted by the stops and the counterstop abutments by rotating the platen with the clutch engaged, and means normally restrained by the clutch engagement but operative upon clutch disengagement to effect movement of the said member to a position of engagement of one of said stops with one of the counterstop abutments.

7. In a typewriting machine having a rotatable platen, a stop mounted for concentric movement with said platen, a clutch between said stop and said platen rendering said platen rotatable together with or independent of said stop, means for engaging or disengaging said clutch, a counterstop engaged by said stop to limit the rotation of the platen in one direction, said stop being movable away from said counterstop as said platen is rotated in an opposite direction with the clutch engaged, and spring means normally restrained by the clutch engagement but operative upon clutch disengagement to effect return 01' the stop to a position of engagement.

8. In a typewriting machine having a rotatable platen, a stop mounted for concentric movement with said platen, a clutch between said stop and said platen rendering said platen rotatable together with or independent of said stop, means for engaging or disengaging said clutch, counterstop abutments engageable by said stop to limit the rotation of the platen in opposite directions, said stop being movable in opposite directions to the extent permitted by the counterstop abutments by rotating the platen with the clutch engaged, and means normally restrained by the clutch engagement but operative upon clutch disengagement to effect movement of said stop to a position of engagement with one of the counterstop abutments.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotatable platen having card-positioning means thereon, mechanism for line-spacing the platen, and a clutch normally connecting the line-space mechanism and platen in any position of adjustment of the line-space mechanism relative to the platen; of stop means normally movable with the platen and engageable with counterstop means to limit platen rotation, releasable means normally connecting said stop means and platen, and means normally restrained by said releasable means but operative upon its release to bring said stop meansinto engagement with the counterstop means.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotatable platen having card-positioning means thereon, mechanism for line-spacing the platen, and a clutch normally connecting the line-space mechanism and platen in any position of adjustment of the line-space mechanism relative to the platen; of a stop normally rotatable with the platen and engageable with a counterstop to limit platen rotation, a second clutch normally connecting said stop and platen, and a spring acting upon said stop to bring the stop into counterstop engagement upon release of said second clutch.

JOHN L. CARPENTER. 

